SMYRNA PENTECOSTAL HOLINESS CHURCH

        ESTABLISHED JUNE 1, 1994

For several years Brother Tony Piner had a desire to see our church extended to the "mainland". It seemed that circumstances were taking place leading to a decision to begin this work. When feeling that the time was God's time, he shared his feelings with some of his closest friends, only to find many of them had the same desire and were willing to step out.

Our conference superintendent was contacted. Brother T. E. Long was in total agreement and said our conference would support a work in the "Downeast" area. It's hard to put an exact time on events but things rapidly began to take place. We knew we needed a place to begin our new church. Brother Tony had driven past a property in Smyrna, NC that had a history of being many things. It had most recently been a nightclub named Miami North. The building had previously been a grocery store, furniture store, and garment-manufacturing site named Claudia's, Garment Company named Blue Bell and storage for a trucking company before becoming the nightclub. He heard the Lord audibly say this is the place for the church. This happened twice property on the Harkers Island was considered, but unattainable, so we were confident God had chosen the place in Smyrna.

The property had been vacated and was for lease. Brother Tony contacted the Realtor and a deal was made. These events were taking place around Memorial Day weekend in 1994. On Saturday, May 28th, a group of men, women and children began to clean up the property. The building had been left as it was, being unclean, scattered with beer bottles and the normal sinful filth that goes along with Satan's domain. We won't say it wasn't discouraging to see the task ahead, but we had a goal in sight. We new Sunday was to be our last service at the Harkers Island PH Church. Therefore, we were determined to have our first service Wednesday night June 1st with God's help. The feeling of joy we experienced as a body of believers coming together to do a work for our Lord will never be forgotten. We labored diligently all day Saturday and Monday, being it was a holiday.

On Sunday night, the 29th of May Brother Long held the Sunday night service at the Harkers Island Church to discuss the new mission on the mainland. He was to officially organize the Smyrna Church the following Wednesday night. Brother Vance Harrell was the current pastor at the Harkers Island Church where he pastored for four years. Brother Harrell was told of the desire for the extended work at Smyrna and accepted the pastoral position at the new church.

On the night of June 1st 1994 the Smyrna Pentecostal Holiness Church was officially organized and established. There were over eighty (80) people present for the first service; fifty-nine (59) of them became charter members of the new church. The first Sunday worship service was on June 5th 1994. Sixteen (16) graduates from pre-school to college were honored during the service.